In modern touch-screen devices, there are ways that a user can use a pen-like object to highlight typeset. There are specific typeset editing principles for input methods such as hard keyboard, soft keyboard, mouse and finger. However, current methods of using pen-like objects to edit typeset either inherit the methods for mouse, such methods require that the device be in a separate mode to perform the editing.
One way is moving a pen-like object and aligning with a cursor caret. However, for a touch optimized device, such approaches require the user to hold to enter highlighting mode and then move pen to adjust the region. Another approach utilizes a “lasso” gesture performed by the user to highlight the desired text. A shortcoming of this approach, however, it that the selected text is always block object oriented, and not at a single-character or non-block level. Furthermore, current touch-enabled devices have difficulty distinguishing between touch gestures and handwriting.